Beam connector



y 23, 1967 1.. R. DOWNING, JR 3,320,713

BEAM CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 7. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 8

INVENTOR- luc/f/v R Daw/w/vo, J?

ATTOENEYS y 3, 1967 L. R. DOWNING. JR 3,320,713

BEAM CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Lac/0v E Don NW5, JA?

LM, M 2 4? ATTO/2NE Ts United States Patent 3,320,713 BEAM CONNECTOR Lucien R. Downing, Jim, Avon Lake, Ohio, assignor to Donn Products, Inc, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 416,440 14 (Ilaims. ((31. 52-666) This invention relates to connectors for intersecting beams, and more particularly to tongue and slot means used for locking one beam to an intersecting beam.

The invention is especially useful with light-weight structural beams used in forming grid structures for suspended ceilings, e.g. acoustical or luminous ceilings.

For most installations, panel supporting grid systems are formed of main beams spanning a given surface, e.g., a ceiling, between terminal supports with intermediate suspension means, e.g. wire hangers. The grid pattern is usually, although not necessarily rectangular, and is completed by disposing cross beams between the main beams at an angle to the main beams, usually a right angle. The main beams are generally of larger size than the cross beams since they act as primary supports, and except for the terminal support by the main beams, the cross beams are otherwise unsupported.

In assembly, the main beams are installed first and the cross beams subsequently connected thereto to complete the grid. Thereafter, the panels of any suitable or desired material may be installed by supporting them on the flanges of the main and crossing beams to cover the openings defined thereby. Facility in assembling and, in certain instances disassembly, of the cross beams relative to the main beams is desired and involves a simple connector means coacting between the respective beams. This invention provides such a connector means.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and relate-d ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but a few of the various forms in which the principle of this invention may be employed.

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a cross beam showing in particular, embodiments of this invention which are placed in the tongue portion of the cross beam.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the cross beam as seen from the plane indicated by the line of 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view, showing in particular, embodiments of this invention which are placed in the web of a main beam.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cross beam interlocked with a main beam.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top sectional view of a grid system composed of main beams and cross beams, utilizing the embodiments of this invention.

Briefly stated, the present invention is in the provision of a connector for a pair of intersecting beams. Each beam is characterized by a web portion having spaced parallel marginal edges and laterally extending flanges along at least one of the marginal edges. The connectors of this invention comprise a tongue at at least one end of one of the beams, and projecting out of the plane of the web thereof, the tongue having upper and lower marginal edges.

The web of the other beam is provided with means for receiving and retaining the aforesaid tongue, and includes a hook portion projecting from the plane of the web and open along at least one end and along its bottom marginal edge, whereby the hook portion overlaps only the upper marginal edge of the tongue, and one surface of the tongue is maintained in confronting relation with the surface of the Web.

Means are also provided between the confronting surfaces of the tongue and the web to restrain relative movement of the tongue and the web in a plane parallel to the plane of the web. Means are also provided which coact between the intersecting beams for supporting the beams relative to one another so that the flanges are in a common plane. These means simultaneously position the upper marginal edge of the tongue Within the hook portion.

For most purposes, hook portions are provided on opposite sides of the web by pressing or web deforming and cutting operation, and so relatively disposed to each other that intersecting beams connected to the web on each side thereof may be disposed along a common center line. To this end, the tongues on the given beam adapted to be disposed between a pair of intersecting beams, for example, will be oppositely extending from the plane of the web of the intermediate beam.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-8, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a cross beam, generally indicated at 2. The cross beam 2 is characterized by a Web 3 having spaced parallel marginal edges 4 and 5. Any suitable flange, e.g. a rolled flange, a head, or unilaterally extending or bilaterally extending flanges, may be secured along the marginal edges 4 and 5. Preferably, however, a bilaterally extending flange 6 is secured along the bottom marginal edge 4, and a beam 7 is secured along the top marginal edge 5. In the emboditnent of the cross beam shown in FIG. 2, the flanges and the web are formed from a single sheet of metal. The laterally extending flange portions 8 and 9 are desirably, although not essentially, covered with a finished cap piece 11.

A tongue 12, which is conveniently an extension of the web, extends beyond the cross beam end 13. Normally, corresponding tongues will be provided at each end of the cross beams. The tongue 12 includes a portion 14, which is but so that it projects out of the plane of the web 3.

The tongue portion 14 has spaced marginal edges 34 and 10, respectively. Tongue portion 14 is in a plane, which when the tongued beam is assembled to the intersecting or main beam, results in it being disposed parallel to the web of the intersecting beam. When the grid formed by the intersecting beams is. rectangular or square, the tongue portion 14 will be disposed at right angles to the plane of the web 3. When interlocked with beam 18, surface 15 of the tongue portion 14, lies adjacent the surface 20 of the main beam web 19, whatever the angle of intersection of the beams may be. An indentation 16 is formed in the surface 15.

A shoulder 17 is formed in the flange 6 adjacent the tongue 12. Shoulder 17 is configured or recessed to match the upper portion bilaterally extending flange 23 of the main beam 18. When the cross beam 2 is interlocked with the main beam 18, the shoulder 17 rests on the adjacent flange 26. Recessing the shoulder 17 permits the cross beam flange to lie in the plane of the main beam flange, and thus present a decorative or pleasing appearance to the ceiling.

Referring more particularly to the FIGS. 35, the main beam 18 has the same general cross sectional configuration as the cross beam 2, except that its cross section is usually larger than the cross beam 2 as the main beam 18 is normally used as a supporting beam. Beam 18 is haracterized by a web 19 having spaced parallel margin- 1 edges 21 and 22. Similarly, a bilaterally extending lange 23 is secured along the bottom marginal edge 21 .nd a head 24 is secured to the top marginal edge 22. The laterally extending flange portions 25 and 26 are deira ly, al-thoughnot essentially, similarly covered with finish cap piece 27.

A pair of oppositely disposed and oppositely projecting iolding tabs or tongueways 28 and 29* are provided in the veb 19 of the main beam 18. The tongueway 28 projects rom one side of the web 19, while the tongueway 29 rojects from the other side of the web 19. This is done accommodate opposing cross beams which are interocked to the main beam. The grid configuration deternines how far apart the tongueways will be spaced along he web of the main beam. The tongueways are simiarly formed, therefore, their description will he in rela- .ion to tongueway 29.

Tongueway 29 is shaped in the form of an inverted iook or half pocket. The tongueway 29, along its upper marginal edge 30,.is secured to, and integral with the web 19. As previously indicated, the tongueway 29 proiects outwardly from the web 19'. The bottom andend portions 31 and 32, respectively, of the tongueway 29 are open, and form a tongue receiving recess 33 for re- :eiving and restraining therein, the top marginal edge 34 of the tongue portion 14. The tongueway end 35, which is opposed to the open end 32, is similarly secured to and integral with the Web 19', and acts as a stop or abutment against which the distal marginal edge 36 of the portion 14 abuts. The provision of stops 35, although not essential for interlocking the tongue 12 to the web 19, is preferred as it restrains lateral movement of the tongue 12, in one direction when the tongue portion 14 is within the tongueway 29. Any suitable stop means accomplishing the same purpose may be provided.

Any suitable means may be used to lock the tongue within the tongueway. In the preferred embodiment, a lockingdetent 37, is placed in the web 19 adjacent the tongueway 29. The detent 37 is located below the open end 31 of the tongueway 29, intermediate its ends 35 and 32, and projects from the web 19* in the same direction as tongueway 29. The detent 37 is designed to interlock in the indentation 16 as the tongue portion 14 is guided into the tongueway 29 and abuts the stop 35'. A detent 38 is .placedi'n the other side of web 19 adjacent tongueway 28 in the same relation thereto as detent 37 is disposed to tongueway 29.

Referring more particularly to FIGS.'6 and 7, there is shown the cross beam 2 interlocked with the main beam 18. As the marginal edge 34 of tongue portion 14 is placed in the tongueway 29, the detent 37 becomes interlocked in the indentation 16 of the tongue portion 14. The cross beam 2 is thus laterally fixedly positioned along the main beam 18. A plurality of tongueways,

e.g., tongueways 28 and 29, and locking detents, e.g.,

detents 37 and 38, are spaced along the webs of the main beams to accommodate similar cross beams to form a desired geometric pattern with the main beams. The shoulder 17 of the cross beam 2, rests on the abutting flange portion 26 of the main beam 18, to provide vertical support for the cross beam 2, and -to simultaneously position the top marginal edge 34 of the tongue portion 14 in the tongueway 29. The interlocking action of the detent 37 in the indentation 16, as well as the supporting action of the configured shoulder 17 on the adjacent flange 26 of the main beam 18, is more readily seen in FIG. 7.

Cross beam end 13 is set back from its tongue portion 14 (FIG. 7), to permit lifting of the cross beam 2 out of the plane of the grid. Lifting movement of the remote end of the cross beam, facilitates unlocking the detent 37 from the indentation 16, and permits easier removal of the tongue portion 14 from the tongueway 29.

is necessary to position the cross beams between the main beams.

Forming tongues on the cross beams is a relatively simple operation as the tongues on opposing ends of the beam are similar but oppositely disposed. A tongue is first formed at one end of the beam. The beam is then reversed and a tongue is similarly formed in the other end. Thus, the tongue portions of the opposing tongues will be oppositely disposed, as will be the adjacent tongueways, e.g. tongueway 28 on one main beam, and tongueway 29' on an adjacent main beam.

The connectors of the present invention have also been found to be particularly advantageous for use in suspended ceiling grid structures which have been fire rated. It has been found that a suspended ceiling system can be utilized as a barrier to flame propagation so long as the suspended ceiling can be maintained as an intact sheet spaced from the main ceiling. In order to preserve the ceiling intact, means must be provided for localizing to a given point the expansion of the beams forming the grid. A typical example of such astructure is shown in United States Patent No. 3,142,367. When the main beams expand in response to increasing temperature, the crossing beams, such as beams 2 (FIG. 8) must be allowed to maintain their spatial relationship to each other in order that. panels supported thereby will not fall out and thus destroy the continuity of the barrier to flame propagation. These panels are usually formed of a non-flammable material and hence effectively prevent transmission of flame to the main ceiling portion from which the sub-ceiling is suspended. In order to preserve such a spatial relationship for the crossing beams 2, the main beams 18 must slide past the extremities of the cross beams 2 an amount proportional to the total amount of expansion of the beam 18 at each'point of intersection. With the structure of the present invention, and under the forces imposed by the panels in position in the grid structure, and the forces of thermal expansion of the mainbeams, the connectors hereof are adapted to permit relative movement between the web of the main beam and the tongue portion 36, these forcesbeing suflicient to overcome the restraining eflect of the indentation 16 and the detent 37. Also, there will often be slight lateral movement or bending of the tongue portion 12 out of the plane of the web 3 (FIG. 7) as the main beam tends to move past the extremity of the crossing beam 2. This tendency to deform out of the plane of the web in response to movement of the main beam is cumulative from one extremity of the main beam which abuts an immovable surface, for example, to the point of localized deformation. Thus, proceeding from the point of the fixed abutment at one end of a main beam 18, the amount of expansion in the first module, i.e. up to the first cross beam 2 may be Me". In the next succeeding module the net expansion past the second cross beam 2 will be A. In the third module the net expansion past the third cross beam will be A3", and so on to the point where the deformation of the main beam is localized. The total expansion may be as much as 1 to 2 inches, more than enough to unseat panels from the supporting grid.

The connectors of the present invention are readily adapted to serve this useful function in a .fire rated grid structure to aid in preserving the integrity and continuity of a suspended ceiling to serve as an inhibitor to flame propagation and thus prolong the period before ignition predetermined geometric configuration and designed to support correspondingly configured panels therein. The beam connectors herein disclosed are particularly designed for use in a lightweight grid structure for securing cross beams to main beams. The cross beams are readily joined with, and disjoined from the main beams. The grid structure is not distorted as the cross beams are coupled to the main beams. Although the cross beams are relatively easily joined with, and disjoined from the main beams, this new and novel beam connector still provides a rigid connection, which is well suited for lightweight grid structures of this type. Grid structures, utilizing this new and novel beam connector, are easily and inexpensively installed.

Other modes of applying the principle of this invention may be employed instead of those specifically set forth above, changes being made as regards the details herein disclosed, provided the elements set forth in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such be employed.

It is, therefore, particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed as the invention:

1. A connector for a pair of intersecting beams, each of said beams having a web portion, a tongue extending from said web portion, and a flange along at least one marginal edge, of said web portion, said connector comprising:

(a) a tongue tip portion on at least one end of the first of said pair of beams, said tip portion having upper and lower marginal edges and angularly disposed to the plane of the web portion of said first beam;

(b) means disposed in the web portion of the second of said pair of beams for receiving at least a portion of said tip portion to hold said tip portion adjacent the web portion of said second beam, said means including a hook portion projecting from the plane of the web of said second beam and disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second beam, said hook portion being open along at least one end and along its bottom marginal edge for slidably receiving said tip portion as it moves adjacent the Web portion of said second beam and in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second beam, said hook portion designed to overlap the upper marginal edge of said tip portion;

(c) means coacting between the confronting surfaces of said tip portion and the web portion of said second beam for restraining movement of said tip portion relative to said web portion in a plane parallel to the plane of said web portion; and

(d) means coacting between the intersecting beams for supporting the beams relative to each other such that the flanges of said beams are in a common plane and said tip portion is simultaneously positioned for movement into the hook portion.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the movement restraining means includes a detent in the tongue, and a complementarily configured indentation in the web.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the supporting and positioning means includes a shoulder formed in the flanges of the beam having the tongue, the shoulder being adjacent to the tongue and configured to rest upon the adjacent flange of the other beam.

4. The connector of claim 3, which includes:

(e) a stop formed in the hook, for coaction with the tongue to restrain lateral movement in one direction of the tongue within the hook, the restraining means designed to restrain movement of the tongue in the other direction.

5. In combination, a pair of intersecting beams, the first of said pair of beams comprising:

(a) a web having spaced parallel marginal edges;

(b) a bilaterally extending flange along at least one marginal edge of said web;

(c) a tongue tip portion on at least one end of said first beam, said tip portion having upper and lower marginal edges and angularly disposed to the plane of said web; and

The second of said pair of beams comprising:

((1) a web having spaced parallel marginal edges;

(e) a bilaterally extending flange along at least one marginal edge of said web;

(f) means disposed in the web of the second beam for receiving at least a portion of said tip portion, to hold said tip portion adjacent the web of said second beam, said means including a hook portion projecting from the plane of the web of said second beam and disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second beam, said hook portion being open along at least one end and along its bottom marginal edge for slidably receiving said tip portion as it moves adjacent the web of said second beam and in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second beam, said hook portion designed to overlap the upper marginal edge of said tip portion;

(g) means coacting between the confronting surfaces of said tip portion and the web of said second beam for restraining movement of said tip portion relative to said web portion in a plane parallel to the plane of said web portion; and

(h) means coacting between the intersecting beams for supporting the beams relative to each other such that the flanges of said beams are in a common plane and said tip portion is simultaneously positioned for movement into the hook portion.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the movement restraining means includes a detent in the tongue of one beam, and a complimentary configured indent in the web of the other beam.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the support and positioning means includes a shoulder formed in the flange of the beam having the tongue, the shoulder being adjacent to the tongue and configured to rest upon the adjacent flange of the other beam.

8. The combination of claim 7, which includes:

(i) a stop formed in the hook, for coaction with the tongue to restrain lateral movement in one direction of the tongue within the hook, the restraining means designed to restrain movement of the tongue in the other direction.

9. A grid structure having a predetermined geometric configuration formed by a plurality of main beams and a plurality of cross beams interposed therebetween and interlocked therewith, each of the cross beams comprising:

(a) a web having spaced parallel marginal edges;

(b) a bilaterally extending flange along at least one marginal edge of said web;

(c) a tongue tip portion on at least one end of the cross beam, said tip portion having upper and lower marginal edges and angularly disposed to the plane of the web of said cross beam; and

Each of the main beams comprising:

(d) a web having spaced parallel marginal edges;

(e) a bilaterally extending flange along at least one marginal edge of said web;

(f) means disposed in the web of the main beam for receiving at least a portion of said tip portion to hold said tip portion adjacent the web of said main beam, said means including a hook portion projecting from the plane of the web of said main beam and disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said main beam, said hook portion being open along at least one end and along its bottom marginal edge for slidably re ceiving said tip portion as it moves adjacent the web of said main beam and in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said main beam, said hook portion designed to overlap the top marginal edge of said tip portion;

the beams having:

(g) means coacting between the confronting surfaces of said tip portion and the web of said main beam for restraining movement of said tip pOrtiOn relative to said main beam web and in a plane parallel to the plane of said main beam web; and

(h) means coacting between the intersecting beams for supporting the beams relative to each other such that the flanges of said beams are in a common plane and said tip portion is simultaneously positioned for movement into the hook portion.

10. The grid structure of claim 9, wherein the moveient restraining means includes a detent in the tongue, 1d a complimentary configured indent in the web of the rain beam.

11. The grid structure of claim 10, wherein the support nd positioning means includes a shoulder formed in the ange of the cross beam adjacent the tongue, and congured to rest upon the adjacent flange of the main beam.

12. The grid structure of claim 11, which includes:

(i) a stop formed in the hook, for coaction with the tongue to restrain lateral movement in one direction of the tongue within the hook, the restraining means designed to restrain movement of the tongue in the other direction.

13. A connector for a pair of intersecting beams, each f said beams having a web with parallel marginal edges nd a flange along at least one of said marginal edges, aid connector comprising:

(a) a tongue tip portion on at least one end of the first of said pair of beams, said tip portion being angularly disposed to the plane of the web of said first beam;

and (b) means disposed in the web of the second of said pair of beams for receiving at least a portion of said tip portion to hold said tip portion adjacent the web of said second beam, said means including a hook portion projecting from the plane of the web of said second beam and disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second beam, said hook portion being open along at least one end and along its bottom marginal edge for slidably receiving said tip portion as it moves adjacent the web portion of said second beam and in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second beam, said hook portion designed to overlap at least a portion of said tip portion.

14. The beam connector of claim 13, which includes:

(0) means coactlng between the confronting surfaces of said tip portion and the web portion of said-second beam for restraining movement of said tip portion relative to said web portion in a plane parallel to the plane of said web portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,767,815 10/1956 Brandstetter et a1. 52664 2,990,921 7/1961 Wilde 287-18936 3,084,401 4/1963 Findlay 52-484 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner.

A. I. BREIER, Assistant Examiner. 

13. A CONNECTOR FOR A PAIR OF INTERSECTING BEAMS, EACH OF SAID BEAMS HAVING A WEB WITH PARALLEL MARGINAL EDGES AND A FLANGE ALONG AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MARGINAL EDGES, SAID CONNECTOR COMPRISING: (A) A TONGUE TIP PORTION ON AT LEAST ONE END OF THE FIRST OF SAID PAIR OF BEAMS, SAID TIP PORTION BEING ANGULARLY DISPOSED TO THE PLANE OF THE WEB OF SAID FIRST BEAM; AND (B) MEANS DISPOSED IN THE WEB OF THE SECOND OF SAID PAIR OF BEAMS FOR RECEIVING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID TIP PORTION TO HOLD SAID TIP PORTION ADJACENT THE WEB OF SAID SECOND BEAM, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A HOOK PORTION PROJECTING FROM THE PLANE OF THE WEB OF SAID SECOND BEAM AND DISPOSED PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SECOND BEAM, SAID HOOK PORTION BEING OPEN ALONG AT LEAST ONE END AND ALONG ITS BOTTOM MARGINAL EDGE FOR SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID TIP PORTION AS IT MOVES ADJACENT THE WEB PORTION OF SAID SECOND BEAM AND IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SECOND BEAM, SAID HOOK PORTION DESIGNED TO OVERLAP AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID TIP PORTION. 